October 22, 2007	Monday	Shawwal 9, 1428

KOHAT, Oct 21: ANP leaders on Sunday criticised President General Pervez Musharraf for withdrawing corruption cases against PPP leader Benazir Bhutto.

Speaking at a meeting held here, they said the president had no right to withdraw corruption cases of Rs120 billion against Ms Bhutto under foreign pressure.

The meeting was attended by ANP central finance secretary Salamat Khan Orakzai, former MPA Shaukat Habib and district president Inayat Qureshi.

They said that Benazir Bhutto should be dealt with according to law and every penny looted by her and her spouse should be recovered.

They said that Pakistan was not a personal property of the president to decide such cases and by striking a deal with the PPP he had betrayed the people.

Inayat Qureshi criticised the role of MPA Qalb e Hassan who sold party votes during the Senate elections.

He said that there was no place for turncoats in the ANP and the party would field people with strong character in future.

He also announced expulsion of former district president Janan Niazi from the party for giving statements in favour of former MPA Syed Qalb-e- Hassan.

The decision was unanimously endorsed by the participants.

Salamat Khan Orakzai alleged that Maulana Fazlur Rehman and former chief minister Akram Durrani sold the assembly in the Punjab House ahead of the presidential elections.

He said that they provided free passage to the president like they did through the 17th amendment.

He condemned the bloodshed of innocent Pakhtuns on both sides of the Pakistan-Afghan border under a conspiracy and called for immediate halt to it.